Foot floor scrubber



spt s, 1910 f A. E. HAYWOOD, JR

FOOT FLOOR SQRUBBER Filed June 21, 1968 ALLAN a HAYUJOUDJn BY (L .1

' ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,526,917 FOOT FLOOR SCRUBBER Allan E.Haywood, Jr., Battle Creek, Mich., assignor to Cardinal Industries,Inc., Battle Creek, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 21,1968, Ser. No. 738,909 Int. Cl. A471 13/18 US. Cl. 15-10433 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention provides a detachable floorscrubber which may be mounted on the foot. The scrubber comprises a toecovering portion, a sole portion, a heel portion, and an abrasive padsection mounted on the said sole portion. The scrubber toe, sole, andheel portions are comprised of an elastic material, with the heelportion pulling upwardly on the toe covering portion to insure firm,operative positioning of the abrasive pad section which is mounted onthe bottom of the foot sole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem of removing stubborn dirt andmarks from floors is constantly being faced by housewives and commercialcustodial service. Generally the housewife and workmen must get down ontheir hands and knees to apply a hand rubbing to the marks to efiect asatisfactory removal. Any device which might eliminate the necessity ofgetting down on the hands and knees would therefore be of a great helpin these matters. The prior art has provided foot mountable devices usedto accomplish a mopping operation or polishing operation. Theseparticular operations are directed to the buffing or mopping of floorswhich are fairly straight-forward operations. However, the problem ofremoving hard to get at dirt and marks, such as heel marks, on the floorpresents unique problems in that they cannot be removed by theconventional mops or polish buffing means presently known in the priorart. It was a recognition of these problems and difficulties which ledto the conception and development of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, among the objects of thisinvention is the provision of a simple means of removing stubborn dirtand marks from a floor without having to get down on the hands andknees.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot floor scrubberwhich enables the worker to effectively remove black marks and dirt fromthe floor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a floor scrubbing devicewhich is held on the foot in a firm manner and enables the worker toeffectively remove marks from the floor closely adjacent the Wall orbaseboard.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a foot floorscrubber which is adaptable to various sizes and types of shoes worn bythe worker.

Still further objects and advantages of this invention will appear asthe description proceeds.

The floor scrubber of this invention comprises a toe covering portion, aheel portion and an abrasive pad section mounted on the sole portion ofthe scrubber. The heel portion fits over the back of the heel of theworkers foot apparel. The scrubber is made of a relatively tough,resilient, elastic type material, normally of rubber or the equivalent,so that it is adequately held firmly against the foot apparel. Theabrasive pad member extends substantially completely to the edge of thesole portion. That is, the pad section is even with the side areas ofthe toe covering portion so that the scrubber may be used along PatentedSept. 8., 1970 ice BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING To the accomplishment ofthe foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of thecleaning means and features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments ofthe invention, such disclosed embodiments illustrating, however, butseveral of various ways in which the principle of the invention may beused.

In the annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a foot scrubber made in accordance withthis invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the same mounted on a shoe.

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of a modified and morespecific embodiment of the same partly in section.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT A detachable foot mountable floorscrubber generally designated 1, FIGS. 1 and '2, comprises a toecovering portion 2, a heel portion 3 and an abrasive pad member 4 which,as shown in the drawing, is substantially flat and parallel faced. Thetoe covering portion 2 is preferably of open top construction and fitsover a shoe as shown. This toe portion 2 is also preferablysymmetrically shaped and therefore may be worn over the shoe 7 of eitherthe right or left foot. Because the scrubber 1 is composed of an elasticmaterial, it is very adaptable to the various types of shoes and bootstyles available and used by workmen. The characteristic shape of thetoe covering portion 2 insures a firm hold once the scrubber 1 has beenplaced on the workmans foot apparel 7. In addition, the shape of the toecovering portion 2 allows use with various sizes of foot apparel 7.

The heel portion 3 of the floor scrubber 1 is strap shaped and forms apart of a unitary structure which includes the toe covering portion 2.The strap portion 3- fits over the upper portion of the heel of the shoe7 on the wearers foot. The elastic characteristic of the material in thefioor scrubber 1 causes the heel sling portion 3 to fit firmly aroundthe foot of the wearer. An important aspect of the floor scrubber 1 asdescribed herein involves the continued tension pull against the sole ofthe shoe 7 on the wearers foot. The heel strap portion 3 pulls upwardlytoward the upper portion of the heel of the wearer at an anglesuflicient to hold the abrasive pad section 4 firmly against the shoesole while the floor scrubber 1 is being used. The entire bottom surfaceof the abrasive pad section 4 is thereby kept in position to contact thefloor. The angle a, FIG. 2, in the specific embodiment is preferably atabout 15 when the floor scrubber 1 is in relaxed position as shown, toeffect the desired tension force under conditions of use. The ribs 8along the edges of the strap portion 3 and open top provide additionalreinforcement as well as resistance to tearing.

The abrasive pad section 4 is mounted on the scrubber sole portion 5 inconventional manner such as by cementing or molding in place. Theoutside edges of the abrasive pad section 4 preferably closely followthe contour of the outside edge of the scrubber sole portion alongeither side of the foot. This structural relationship enables theworkman to scrub the floor next to a wall or baseboard with either foot.Any suitable adhesive such as rubber cement might be used to attach theabrasive pad section 4 to the scrubber sole portion 5. The thickness ofthe abrasive pad section 4 can vary widely depending upon the particularmanufacturer. The pad as shown in the specific embodiment is about A" inthickness. In addition, the abrasive pad section 4 may be, if desired,impregnated with a suitable cleaning material such as a detergent.

In another embodiment, FIG. 4, a reinforcing member 6 is located betweenthe abrasive pad section 4 and the scrubber sole portion 5. Thisembodiment is especially useful where the wearers foot apparel 7 is softsoled such as in a canvas sneaker. The reinforcing member 6 provides thenecessary stiffness to make the pad section 4 lie flat against the floorduring use. This fiat trelationship to the floor facilitates scrubbingup to a wall or baseboard.

It is highly desirable that a size be determined which will enable thefloor scrubber 1 of the instant invention to be as universal aspossible. The length and width of the particular scrubber 1 is thereforechosen to fit as many as possible of the existing sizes of boots orshoes 7 being presently used in the area of maintenance work.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A floor scrubbing device in the form of an attachment for mounting ona foot covering means such as a shoe comprising, in combination:

(a) a foot covering means receiving member including a toe coveringportion, a heel portion, and a sole portion substantially limited to thearea adjacent said toe covering portion,

(b) said foot covering means receiving member being composed of anelastic material to firmly hold said scrubbing device in place on thefoot covering means,

(c) a substantially flat parallel faced abrasive pad member,

(d) means to attach said substantially flat abrasive pad member to theunderface of said sole portion,

(e) said pad member extending substantially completely to the side edgesof the underface of said sole portion to provide for effective scrubbingof the floor up to a juncture of a wall.

2. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said heelportion includes a strap member extending from the sole portion on oneside of the said toe covering portion to the sole portion on the otherside of the said toe covering portion to thus extend around and grip theheel of the foot covering memher.

3. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 2 wherein said toecovering portion is open over the top portion thereof and extends alongthe peripheral edge of the top portion of the foot covering means wornon the foot. 4. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 2 whereinthe said sole portion and said pad member are relatively symmetrical inshape to fit both a right and left foot covering means. 5. A lloorscrubbing device as defined in claim 3 wherein the said sole portion andsaid pad member are relatively symmetrical in shape to fit both a rightand left foot covering means. 6. A floor scrubbing device as defined inclaim 5 wherein said strap member includes reinforcing means to provideadditional strength thereto. 7. A floor scrubbing device as defined inclaim 5 wherein when the said elastic foot covering means receivingmember is in a relaxed position the said strap member extends in adirection at a sufiicient angle up and away from the plane of said soleportion to provide an etfective upward pull on said sole portion to holdsaid pad member firmly against the sole of said foot covering means. 8.A fioor scrubbing device as defined in claim 7 wherein the said angle issubstantially about 15 from the plane of said sole portion. 9. A floorscrubbing device as defined in claim 5 wherein said scrubbing deviceincludes a reinforcing member juxtaposed said sole member and the top ofsaid pad member to insure substantially complete availability of contactbetween the entire bottom surface of said pad member and the floorsurface when said device is being used. 10. A floor scrubbing device asdefined in claim 5 wherein said pad member includes a detergentmaterial.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 891,384 6/1908 Strang 367.41,292,993 2/1919 Batterman 367.4 3,112,219 11/1963 Politzer et al.15-l04.94 X 3,362,775 1/1968 Muecke 15-227 X FOREIGN PATENTS 176,5877/1935 Switzerland.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R. 15-227

